WASHINGTON — The United States is experiencing a dramatic downturn in international student arrivals, with numbers plummeting to a four-year low amid President Donald Trump’s stringent immigration policies.
Just over 313,000 students entered the country on visas in August 2025, marking a 19% drop from the previous year and the fifth consecutive month of declines, according to data from the U.S. International Trade Administration.
This sharp fall, the steepest since the COVID-19 pandemic, is largely attributed to heightened visa scrutiny, processing delays, and new restrictions that have deterred prospective students from around the world.
Asia, which supplies the majority of U.S. international students, bore the brunt of the decline, with arrivals down 24% to about 191,000.
India saw the most severe hit, with a 45% drop, while China experienced a 12% decrease.
Africa’s numbers fell 33%, though from a smaller base, and Western Europe showed a minimal dip of less than 1%.
A Reshape of Higher Education
Year-to-date through August, total arrivals are down nearly 12%, signaling a broader trend that could reshape higher education and the economy.
The slide coincides with a series of Trump administration actions aimed at curbing what officials describe as visa abuse. In late May 2025, the government temporarily paused new student visa interviews before revamping the process with expanded social media screenings and heightened vetting.
A proposed rule would cap F-1 and J-1 visas at four years maximum, limiting stays to the program duration, and echoes a 2020 Trump-era proposal withdrawn under Biden.
Travel bans or restrictions on nationals from 19 countries, threats to deport students for pro-Palestinian activism, and delays in visa processing have compounded the barriers.
Economic Woes
Universities are feeling the pinch acutely. DePaul University in Chicago announced immediate spending cuts after a 30% drop in international enrollment this fall, citing visa difficulties and policy shifts.
Northwestern University eliminated 425 positions, and the University of Southern California laid off over 630, both pointing to reduced international students and federal funding pressures.
NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, estimates international students contributed $44 billion to the economy in the 2024-25 academic year, supporting 400,000 jobs; a projected 15% decline this year could exacerbate financial strains on campuses.
Students like Shivika Sing at the University at Buffalo expressed relief at navigating the process but highlighted the stress: “Finally being done with the visa process… has meant she can focus on finding her classrooms.”
Experts warn the trend risks a brain drain, with alternatives like Canada gaining ground.
Fanta Aw of NAFSA noted, “The United States has long been the top destination for the world’s best and brightest minds,” but policies are eroding that status. Trump has signaled mixed messages, recently telling reporters he wants to double Chinese student numbers, defending their presence: “I like that their students come here.”
Yet the data shows the opposite trajectory, with first-year international graduate students down nearly 62% at some schools.
As enrollment deadlines pass, the full impact on Fall 2025 could be even starker, potentially costing billions and reshaping global talent flows.
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